The present invention relates generally to tubings for accessing a container. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tubing for a container having cryogenic freezing applications.
Tubings are utilized with containers to access the interior of the container. The tubing provides a fluid path from the container to a second environment. This fluid path is utilized to place material within the container or access material contained therein.
It is known to house within a container biological fluids including cellular material and blood components. These fluids are typically added to the containers by use of a tubing that is connected to a port that extends from the container. The components are fed from a supply source into the container through the tubing. After the components are fed to the container, and if desired samples are taken therefrom, the tubing is sealed and cut. Typically, the tubing is cut and sealed as close to the port as possible providing a tubing remnant.
In order to store the fluids housed within the container, the container and material may be frozen by being subjected to very low temperatures, for example, frozen in a liquid nitrogen environment (-196.degree. C.). When exposed to a liquid nitrogen environment, the flexible containers are thermally stressed. When so stressed, the containers are at risk of breaking or other failure.
Some prior flexible containers for uses that include the storage of cellular matter and blood components that are frozen in a liquid nitrogen environment, utilize a polyvinyl chloride extruded tubing formulation. When frozen in liquid nitrogen, the polyvinyl chloride tubing remnants become extremely brittle. Indeed, the frozen tubing will not tolerate any significant flexure or impact without fracture. In order to utilize these containers, it is typically necessary to employ, when the containers are frozen, a protective canister (thin, rectangular aluminum plate cassette) to obviate any stress than can induce failure of the tubing.
Although the use of a protective canister reduces the risk of failure of the tubing, there are still circumstances in which there are product failures. For example, containers that house larger fluid volumes are commonly tethered by a cord and suspended in a liquid phase of cryogenic solutions wherein the tubing remnant cannot be adequately protected.